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Lahore High Court moved against towers in residential areas

THE Lahore High Court has been moved through a writ petition against installation of cellular companies towers in residential areas.

The petition was filed by Muhammad & Ahmad, a public interest litigation company, through its chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddique advocate and five residents of the Punjab Employees Cooperative Housing Society on Tuesday.

The petitioners pleaded that the Wi-Tribe Company had carried out installation and construction of the BTS (Base Transceiver Station) in the Punjab Employees Co-operative Housing Society.

The residents of the society, including Muhammad Ismail, raised the issue before the Punjab Environment Protection Agency and the district coordination officer that the tower would have adverse environmental impacts but in vain.

Counsel Azhar pointed out that the EPA on January 28 passed an environmental protection order (EPO) to the respondent company but it continued installation of illegal and unauthorised BTS tower.

The petitioners said even the Town Municipal Administration, Gulberg, could not permit the erection of such a tower without prior approval from the Environment Protection Agency under Section 12 of PEPA 1997 and it was an admitted fact the no objection certificate (NOC) was issued in violation of the law.

They said such towers emitted smoke, noise and pollution which was harmful to human health and the residents would be in constant fear of suffering from neurotic and psychological problems. They submitted that the towers also emitted wimix radiation that was a major cause of brain cancer and brain tumour, adding that children and the elderly were worst hit by the radiation, which could affect the sight, impair memories, cause headache, insomnia and many other complications. They said the installation of such a tower was violation of fundamental rights of health and family security enshrined in the constitution.

The petitioners prayed that the installation of mobile towers in residential areas should be declared illegal and ordered to be removed.